The first time Marilou heard his voice her stomach tightened. He talked in a gravely, evil way that scared her somethin’ awful.

Marilou always had problems with stomach aches; anytime a situation became loud or angry or tense she would begin to shake and feel as if she would throw up.

The six-year-old curled her spindly legs in a ball and pressed her hands tight over her ears. Tufts of her pale, blonde hair stuck through her long, thin fingers. Marilou squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to listen.

It was hard to be quiet because of the bed. It was an old metal daybed with round rails at the ends. The side of the bed that was along the wall had rails too, aaaand all these weird little knobs.

This bed must be really old Marilou imagined. Every time she moved it would squeak and rattle. She would suck in her breath and stay in one spot as long as she could. “I’m gonna get in trouble for making so much noise,” she thought.

Still, she couldn’t help it. That voice. It made her afraid. The bed was close to the French doors and one of the panes was broken. His voice slipped through the open space like he was talking just to her, like he was trying to get her.

Marilou was so glad when the daylight came. She didn’t like the night, when she had to lay in that old bed unable to sleep. It was the sun she loved; all warm and yellow and bright. The sun always made her feel good.

As soon as light began to shine into the room, the little girl slowly eased from the old metal bed. She put socks on so her feet would be quiet and crept over to the glass doors.

Marilou was scared to pieces but didn’t care. She had to see that man; he probably looked like the devil.

She pressed her nose against a pane of glass; her big blue eyes looked all around the room and…

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

About Maxi

Hi … I'm Maxi, a retiree with an addiction. I have quit: raising kids, cleaning house, cooking, doing laundry—there is no end the list—everything is done on "have to." The addiction? Writing to my last breath.
blessings ~ maxi